


A keep by the sea

by Book_Dragon



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, F/M, Gen, Implied/Referenced Incest, Implied/Referenced Underage Sex, Magic Revealed, No Morgana/Arthur on screen, Off-screen Relationship(s), Post-Magic Reveal, Teen Pregnancy, Uther Pendragon's A+ parenting, teen parent(s), underage parenthood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-12
Updated: 2019-01-12
Packaged: 2019-10-08 22:16:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply, Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,558
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17394683
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Book_Dragon/pseuds/Book_Dragon
Summary: Arthur falls in love with his son in that moment and in that dark nursery promises his child the world.





	A keep by the sea

It happens when they are young and stupid—far too young and stupid to understand what they’re doing. Arthur is fifteen and high on the praises he’s been receiving lately in his training, Morgana is almost seventeen and chafing under the constraints of her position and gender, and neither of them are thinking of the consequences. Uther of course, is furious. The children sit shamefaced in Morgana’s chambers after Gaius confirms it, Uther ranting and raging around them. This would _ruin_ Morgana; how could they have been so _stupid_? But it’s only when Arthur proposes to do the honourable thing that the rest of it comes tumbling out. They hadn’t known that they were siblings.

Somehow, they manage to keep it all a secret. Which really shouldn’t be possible given that _nothing_ ever really stays hidden in court, but apparently Uther is a master at keeping his secrets under a tight lock.

Morgana is shipped off to a holding by the sea—for her health, which had been declining for some time. Or at least, that is what the members of the court were meant to infer. Morgana had always had trouble sleeping, and now she is pale and shaky with rage and fear, so it’s not really a stretch. Officially, the court was told that Morgana would be spending a year in pious reflection on the death of her parents, but everyone saw what Uther wished to “hide.” It was a brilliant misdirect.

Arthur, on the other hand, is shipped off to squire with the border patrols. A dangerous job for one as young as he, but one that was seen as a great reward rather than a punishment, as it highlighted a skill beyond his years. 

Arthur is not present at the birth.

The babe is whisked away from Morgana as soon as it takes its first breath, for the child could never be hers. Morgana screams and rages and curses her midwives and tumbles out of bed. Armed with a fire iron, she runs after the nurse who’d taken her child. Uther is not happy when he learns of her refusal to let the boy go. The child _could not_ be hers, not and keep her reputation intact. So, Uther does the only sensible thing to a man such as he, and choses which of his children to ruin.

Arthur receives his summons, and arrives home to find a tight-lipped Uther and a silent court. A nurse-woman steps forward at Uther’s beckoning, and places a tiny, swaddled bundle in Arthur’s arms. Arthur’s bastard son. 

Morgana arrives home a fortnight later, having been “summoned” to help deal with Arthur’s indiscretions. She won’t look at Uther. Instead she seems to spend her days vacillating between wanting to spend all her time with the small babe and not wanting to be near him at all. She is grieving for the loss of a son that lies not feet away from her, and she hates Arthur for taking him. Arthur would gladly give him to her, this tiny creature who confounds Arthur so. He hasn’t held his son since that day in court.

*

The babe does not have a name. It is only through that that Arthur realizes that Morgana is just as confounded by this tiny life as he is. Morgana does not know what to do. The thought stuns Arthur who had grown up thinking that Morgana always had an answer for everything, even though it had always annoyed him so. Morgana always seems so sure of herself, so willing to stare his (their) father in the eye and voice her opinions. Arthur has never had that conviction. But now he sees not only her grief, but also her relief: she could not let their son go, but neither does she fully desire to be a mother. She loves him, but he hurts her, and not just because he isn’t hers.

Arthur sneaks into the nursery that night and stares down at the babe, watches the little chest flutter with each breath. Tentatively, Arthur reaches down and lifts the child from its cradle. The boy makes a soft sound and opens his eyes to look up at Arthur. Arthur gazes down into the blue stare—his eyes in Morgana’s face—and realizes: this is his. His child. His son. And Arthur is the only one that this child has.

Arthur is not his father. He will be a good father to this child. And his son will _never_ feel lesser for being a bastard, and he will _never_ want for what his father cannot give. Arthur falls in love with his son in that moment and in that dark nursery promises his child the world.

*

They name him Merlin for where he was born, and he is precious. Arthur spends more and more time in the nursery with him until he finds that any moment not spent at his training or on his duties is spent with his son. The court does not seem sure how to deal with this; a bastard son of a prince may be a disappointment, but it is also not entirely unexpected. What is unexpected is Arthur’s investment. To acknowledge Merlin, fine, but coming from a royal family, with an army of servants and nursemaids at his disposal, Arthur’s involvement seems odd to their sensibilities. And then comes the day when Merlin uses magic for the first time.

Merlin is barely three months old and Arthur is visiting him in the nursery. They are on the floor together, Merlin on his little stomach in a pool of light by the window, and Arthur is enjoying his son’s increasing awareness by dangling some shiny bauble in front of his face. Merlin has gotten better at reaching for and swatting at things in the last weeks, but on his stomach, it is all he can do to hold his head up. Arthur watches as Merlin’s face scrunches up in an adorable little pout before his eyes flash gold and the little bauble is yanked out of Arthur’s fingers. Arthur yelps and jumps away, startling the baby. The toy falls to the floor with a soft thud as Merlin begins to cry. 

Arthur, his heart beating frantically inside his chest, can only stare at the boy. _Magic_. That was _magic_. Arthur tries to control his breathing, tries to calm the panic that is building in him. His boy just used _magic_. Merlin, who’s never been denied comfort for so long after an upsetting, works himself into a proper wail. Thank goodness the nursemaids had left them alone in the room—there are no witnesses... but if he doesn’t do something soon, the guards are going to be drawn by the sound of Merlin’s cries. Arthur scrambles over to Merlin’s side and scoops his son up into his arms. Arthur juggles the baby gently, murmuring soothing nonsense in his ear, trying to calm them both down. His son, his boy, had used _magic_. Magic that is _evil_ , magic that corrupts one’s very _soul_ , magic that is punishable by _death_. His baby. 

Arthur’s grip spasms on the soft baby flesh in his arms and he hears his son whimper. Arthur chokes and frantically readjusts so that he’s not hurting him and drops to his knees in the middle of the nursery. Arthur stares down at the blue, trusting gaze, at the tear stained cheeks and the shock of black hair and makes his decision. 

For the second time in his life, Arthur Pendragon stands in the middle of a nursery and makes a promise to his son.

*

After that Arthur takes on almost full responsibility for the care of his son. The court is baffled, but he cannot trust anyone else with this secret and he cannot stop Merlin’s unpredictable use of magic. He will not let anything or anyone hurt his child.

*

Merlin grows into a happy, laughing toddler, and as he grows so does his magic. Arthur teaches him about control and secrecy and often brings him to the catacombs beneath the citadel and out to secluded forest clearings to let him practice and play. They are lucky and no one finds out about his magic for years. That is, until his mother does.

Merlin is three (and a half) years old and is spending the day with his Aunt Morgana. Maybe three is a bit young for the expectations that Arthur necessarily has for him, but they’ve been practicing _not_ stopping every falling object for months now and Arthur trusts that Merlin can keep to himself for one day. And besides, Arthur and Morgana’s relationship has soured quite a bit over the years as Arthur rarely lets even her visit Merlin without his watchful eye. If he doesn’t let her spend some time with their son, he fears she may murder him.

He’d explained to Merlin that he was going to be spending time with his Aunt Morgana alone last night during bath-time, and Merlin had seemed curious and excited at the prospect. He’s never been so far from his father for so long before, and he’d told Arthur that he promised to be good and not use magic where anyone could see _promise_. Arthur’s heart had broken a little at the secrecy so necessary in Merlin’s life and had sworn that one day he would not have to hide anymore, that one day everyone would love him and admire him for all his skills. Merlin had smiled happily at him and gone to bed early.

He drops Merlin off at Morgana’s chambers, eyeing her maid Gwen critically. Morgana glares at him and tells him haughtily that they are perfectly capable of taking care of a child for a few hours. Arthur sees the desperation well hidden in her eyes and does not say anything. He crouches down for a hug and informs the women that he’ll be in the training arena and then at council, and that they can reach him at any time should they need. And then he leaves them too it.

Arthur spends the morning being jeered at good-naturedly by knights used to having a little prince being cared for on the sidelines. They poke fun at Arthur for his distracted worry— _he’s_ never been this far away from Merlin for this long either—even as they worry themselves, wondering aloud as to his health and potential boredom. Merlin has turned the fearsome Knights of Camelot into a bunch of fretful nursemaids.

Arthur spends his afternoon trying to focus in council. Even though this was one of the few periods of time during which Arthur usually let Merlin be taken by a nursemaid for his afternoon nap, he is very aware that he has not seen Merlin all day and worries that Morgana may get him off his schedule. A tired Merlin is a cranky Merlin and a Merlin much more prone to accidental usage of magic. Arthur shakes his head—Merlin will be _fine_.

Somehow, Arthur manages to get through the day with only minimal damage to his reputation and self-respect (though how it could be any more damaged than practicing swordsmanship covered in baby spew, Arthur’s not sure), and goes to Morgana’s chambers to pick up Merlin. Morgana is acting oddly, clutching Merlin to her and staring at him distrustfully. She asks if Merlin would be allowed to stay the night in her chambers and Arthur, who’d been on the verge of a panic, calms at the request. Morgana’s probably just realized exactly what she’s been missing all these years having spent the day with Merlin, and is now loath to give him up, but Arthur has spent an entire day away from his son and could not stand another hour. He denies the request. Morgana looks like she’s considering fighting him on it. Arthur is not surprised. Though Morgana threw herself into playing the old, carefree Morgana at about the same time as Arthur had thrown himself into full-time fatherhood, it was a rare person to be able to resist Merlin’s cheerful smiles, especially since he knew how much Morgana missed him.

Arthur stands firm and bids his sister/the mother-of-his-child a goodnight.

It is only later, as he is dressing Merlin for bed that Merlin looks up at him and says _Sorry_ , and the whole story tumbles out.

Apparently, there had been an accident. And blood. And Morgana’s maid would have bled out had Merlin not healed her. _Healed her_. And now Morgana knew. And her maid, Gwen, she knows too. Merlin’s secret is out.

Arthur stays still in a moment of breathless terror as Merlin apologizes once again, and then bursts into a flurry of movement. He has travel packs set up for the both of them, including extra blankets and Merlin’s absolute favourite toy, in a matter of moments, the world around him crystalizing into a terrifying sort of clarity. They’ll need food and money. Clothes. Blankets. Boots. Armor. His sword. Hunting gear. The maintenance gear. But no crests. Nothing that would identify them as who they were. Merlin looks startled and frightened as Arthur scoops him up and dresses him for travel. He should go to Gaius for a small travel pack of medicines. _Why_ doesn’t he know better how to treat their own injures and sicknesses? What if Merlin falls ill?

Arthur hushes Merlin with assurances as Merlin whimpers apologies into Arthur’s shoulder. They’d be alright. They’d be _fine_. Arthur swings open the door and almost runs face first into Morgana. Her eyes sweep them in surprise and fear as she demands to know where they are going, _where are you taking him_? After a moment’s hesitation, Arthur steps back and ushers Morgana into their rooms. 

*

Arthur and Morgana size each other up, eyeing each other across a battlefield of desperation, Merlin clutched to Arthur’s side. Morgana demands to know what they were doing, what Arthur _thought he was doing_? and Merlin hides his face in Arthur’s side, ashamed at having disobeyed his father for an aunt he barely knows. It was that, more than anything, that broke the tension in the room. For Arthur’s part, he never wanted Merlin to feel that way, for him to be so isolated and alone, for Morgana, it’s the look on Arthur’s face and the tender way he cuddles the boy as he paces to the bed. Merlin is safe with Arthur. Merlin will be safe with Morgana and Gwen. The two parents meet each other’s eyes. They have a lot to talk about, but one thing is sure: Merlin will be safe.

* 

After that night Merlin’s parents are on the same page for the first time in a long time, maybe ever. Arthur finally has someone that he can rely on to watch the boy, Merlin finally has someone other than his father to open up to, and Morgana finally has something of her son back. Merlin still spends most of his time with Arthur (and his knights), but now frequently spends part of the day with Morgana and Gwen. It comes as a blessing over the next few years as Arthur becomes a full knight and then first knight and begins to gain more and more responsibility as prince and heir. Merlin grows too, and Morgana takes over much of his schooling and monitors the tutors that Uther sends, and both Morgana and Arthur sneak books of magic out of the library and the vaults and smuggle Merlin out into the forest to practice and play and be himself, magic and all. 

He is an active little boy who is the apple of his father’s eye and the darling of the knights, who loves horses and romping with the hunting dogs and climbing over everything. But he also gains something of a fascination for reading and learning and develops an odd little friendship with Gaius as he is more studious than Arthur and politer than Morgana. And Merlin is happy. A laughing spot of sunshine in all their lives.

*

Merlin is five and Arthur does not know what to make of his father’s laws against magic. Merlin has never seen an execution, but he _feels_ them and he cries and cries throughout the night as Arthur’s father and the court of Camelot celebrate at banquet. Arthur makes himself watch every execution and remember every face and every name. 

A lot of sorcerers and Druids “escape” from his grasp.

Uther is not impressed.

* 

Uther appoints Arthur as Crowned Prince and official heir. It is more surprising than it should be.

*

Merlin is barley seven the first time he brings Arthur down to see the Dragon beneath the citadel. Arthur is not impressed. Or he is, because there is a great, giant, flying, _fire-breathing_ lizard beneath his city that _talks_ , but he is less than happy that Merlin has apparently been having late night rendezvous with the beast for some time now. Arthur dos not appreciate great, giant, flying, fire-breathing monsters near his son. Even if the creature seems oddly fond of Merlin. Even if Merlin talks about _cuddling_ with the beast as if it was _family_. Even if the Dragon insists that both Arthur and Merlin have great destinies. Or maybe especially then. Arthur does not want Merlin to have some great destiny, because those always come hand in hand with such heavy burdens. Arthur just wants Merlin to be happy.

Arthur and the Dragon strike a truce though, contingent on Merlin’s safety and Camelot’s survival and Arthur setting the Dragon free as soon as it is viable or when he becomes King at the latest. It’s a somewhat shaky truce, but it holds. Merlin is just happy he can continue to go down and spend time with Kilgharrah.

*

Arthur does not have the resources to truly challenge his father, and he worries at the cost to the kingdom were Arthur ever to truly challenge Uther on his stance on magic. Still, he makes his views known when he can, and can on many occasions feel Uther watching him like a hawk, positively shaking with rage and disappointment. Arthur would mourn the loss of his father’s love with all his soul if he did not know in his _bones_ that Uther would steal Merlin away should Arthur ever truly defy him, would lock Merlin away to keep Arthur under control. Worse, Uther would put Merlin to _death_ should he ever catch so much as a scent of magic—Uther would put his own grandson to the pyre for magic and Arthur hates him for that. And yet he still mourns. Fear, loyalty, and _love_ , keep Arthur loyal to his King. For the most part.

Over the years Morgana and Gwen develop something of a smuggling operation, whisking those accused of magic away from Camelot in the middle of the night. Arthur helps where he can, making circumspect contacts while out on patrols, creating safe-houses along routes to safety while out on hunts, letting Merlin create little “hide-me” charms, and manipulating the guard postings and search patterns. He’s not sure if his father realizes, but given that they are all still free, he suspects not. The magical community certainly does though, and they _whisper_.

*

A woman named Nimue attacks and she tries hurt Arthur and Merlin, but Merlin protects them with a glowing ball of… _something_. Her eyes reflect a madness of grief, and she tries again. A flash of lightning and it’s over. Arthur won’t tell Merlin what happened. He tells the boy that she _went away_. He knows he should be afraid. He should be terrified of what his baby just did. He isn’t.

All he feels is relief. 

*

Merlin is almost eight when Morgana’s room catches on fire. She is wan and terrified in the morning, and Arthur rolls his eyes a little and suggests that _now they know where Merlin got it_. She thinks about running, about using her own network to leave Camelot. But _Merlin_ is still there, and Arthur cannot abandon his people, and if an eight year-old can manage, then so can she. 

She and Arthur talk about it very seriously though. They talk for a full fortnight, but eventually decide that Uther would never let any of them go, and it would be far too suspicious were they to send Merlin away. They’ve come to these conclusions before. This just drives it home again. 

Uther is on a rampage, and it takes the full extent of their combined resources to deal with situation.

*

A month later and a Witchfinder rolls into the citadel. Uther is viciously gleeful, and Arthur feels slick sick slide through his blood. Merlin is pale and terrified. Morgana is not much better. Arthur spends most of his time holding Merlin close and promising him in undertones that he would never let _anything_ happen to him. 

Aredian accuses Gaius. Morgana looks to Arthur, already planning an escape, but Merlin whispers that the bracelet that Aredian offered as proof wasn’t Gaius’s. He would have _felt it_ the last time he was in Gaius’s chambers, he’s sure of it. 

Arthur leaves Merlin and Morgana together with Gwen, ready to leave at a moment’s notice. It isn’t necessary because it turns out that Aredian was lying—and Merlin makes a frog come out of the evil snake’s mouth in revenge—but still, they were ready. They are never not ready again, after that.

*

Merlin is still eight when Arthur learns how much of a hypocrite his father is. Merlin’s terrified little face and Arthur’s desire to be _better_ are the only things that stop him.

His relationship with his father deteriorates after that. 

The knights begin to subtly choose sides.

*

Arthur lets Kilgharrah free on Merlin’s ninth birthday, or Merlin does. It’s his magic they use, but it’s on Arthur’s word. At any rate, the Great Dragon is free and Arthur is more than half expecting him to attack Camelot to get at Uther. Arthur mightn’t even blame him for it.

Merlin kisses the Dragon delicately on the snout, and Kilgharrah closes his huge eyes. They are profoundly silent for a breath. Then the Dragon stretches to his full height and tells Merlin that if he ever needed him, Merlin should call him from his _soul_. 

“Find the place where we are kin and call. I will come.” And then the Great Dragon spreads his wings and launches into the air.

Merlin sniffles a little that night, missing Kilgharrah’s presence.

*

Merlin is ten when Morgause attacks Camelot with Cenred. She had managed to get a hired man inside who had planted a Mandrake root under Uther’s bed, and Uther had spent the last days screaming about the children he had murdered. Arthur feels revolted. When Merlin tells Arthur about the “screaming plant” underneath the king’s bed, Arthur seriously considers not saving his father for the first time.

Of course, he’s better than that, so he burns the thing to save what’s left of the king’s mind, and Morgana stops the sorcerer-mercenary in the vaults. She picks up a weird staff in the process and shows it off later, when they’ve won. Merlin says it tickles. Arthur makes Merlin hide it in a pocket in one of Arthur’s walls that they had made for that purpose after Morgana had learnt it was possible from a book she smuggled out of the library. Merlin giggles the entire time.

*

Morgause tries again later that year, getting her hands on the Cup of Life because Arthur hadn’t wanted to bring Merlin along on such a dangerous mission. They lose the city, but Merlin manages to get himself, Morgana, Gwen, and several of Arthur’s knight out. Arthur has never felt more relieved. He knights several peasants that week, in the ruins of a keep of the kings of old. Merlin shyly gifts him with a sword he says that he and Kilgharrah made together, but hid because the king had touched it. Arthur’s knights swear their loyalty to him and to Merlin’s protection. Arthur entrusts a handful to Merlin’s guard when they go to retake the citadel.

Arthur is Prince Regent by the end.

*

Merlin is thirteen when he has his first crush. It’s on _Gwaine_ and it’s _terrible_. He keeps tripping over himself at practice (because even though it is clear that Merlin is more a scholar than a warrior, at least in the physical sense, he still has to learn the _basics_ ) and smiling far too widely at his tutor. Arthur should have asked Lancelot, to be honest, but Gwaine is the best _teacher_ , and is very good at adapting techniques to Merlin’s lanky frame. 

Morgana laughs at him and rolls her eyes whenever he complains about it, and Gwaine himself is _insufferable_ , but the older knights who had been there since Merlin was born help Arthur loom, so Gwaine doesn’t get too out of control. Arthur still has to listen to a lot of impassioned speeches from Merlin though.

*

Merlin is fourteen when a man comes to Gaius with half a map to a hidden dragon’s egg. Merlin is beside himself with excitement, flushed and jittery as he begs his father to be able to go get it. Morgana thinks it’s a good idea, but Arthur’s not sure about the logistics. He’s still only regent, after all, and his father’s council will likely balk at the idea of a dragon egg, even though Arthur has all but done away with his father’s laws on magic—in practice, if not in word. He’s not sure how they will hide a _dragon_.

In the end, he can’t say no to Merlin, and so they head off.

Merlin is too excited to eat, so he’s the only one who isn’t effected by the drug. Arthur is _not impressed_ that he went off on his own, but Merlin is fourteen and head-strong and just stares his father down from where he is snuggling the egg in his lap.

*

He names her Aithusa and she’s beautiful. Morgana especially, falls in love at first sight. She takes Merlin to the keep where he was born—for _reflection and spiritual renewal_ , they say—to raise the baby for a while.

Arthur misses them terribly.

*

Neither Merlin or Morgana are there on Arthur’s birthday when a man attacks Arthur with a poisoned blade and gets his father instead. Arthur is almost glad that they didn’t have to experience that. 

Merlin is home in time for the funeral, and Arthur takes comfort in the his son’s presence. Kneeling vigil over his father’s body, Arthur promises himself that he will never be the father that Uther was and that at _Arthur’s_ funeral, his son will not feel anything like _relief_.

*

Merlin is sixteen the day that the laws against magic are finally repealed, his smile shining like the sun. Merlin is tall and gangly, smart as a whip and more powerful than Arthur can ever conceive, and he is Arthur’s world. Merlin laughs as he looses a swarm of magical blue butterflies into the air above Camelot. Arthur looks at his baby, at his boy, at this powerful young man, and promises him the world.

Together with the people of Camelot, they make the most amazing kingdom Arthur could ever dream. One whose legend will last through the ages.

**Author's Note:**

> Honestly I've been sitting on this one for so long it's ridiculous.


End file.
